Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1887-08-04
Reagan on Prohibition.

your letter of the 4th instant, in
which. you advise me that largely
attended meeting of prominent Dem
ocrats from all parts of the state was
held at Austin on the 30th ultimo for
the purpose of calling a state con-
vention. TO meet at Dallas on the
first Wednesday in May, and that
such convention has been called !;
that its object is twofold: 1. To set
forth clearly and unreseryedly the
time-honored and enduring princi
Piles of the Democratic party from
jefferson, its founder, down 10 the
present time. These you describe
to be Opposition to all forms of
sumptuary legislation.
You do me the honor to invite me
to be present and address that con-
vcntIon, and call my attention to the
radical change to be engrafted on
the organic law of the state by the
adoption of the prohibition amend
ment. And you suggest that the
magnitude of the issue forbids ST.
lence on the part Of every citizen.
fully appreciate the honor i'm
piled in the invitation you extend
me: but between giving some atten-
tion to my private affairs, which
have been much neglected of late,
the keeping up of a correspondence
which has become burdensome, and
the necessity of investigating some
public questions of Importance be-
fore the meeting of the Fiftieth con-
gress, 1t will not be practicable for
me to participate in public discus
slons of this summer.
If had leisure to engage in this
discussion, with all respect for opin-
ions of the meeting you represent, !
could not concur with the views ex-
pressed IN your letter. While l have
heretofore felt constrained to Op'
pose prohibition because its friends
sought to make 1t political issue
and to antagonize and overthrow the
Democratic party, that reason does
not now exist; and l am not inclined
by speech or vote, to countenanct
the evils flowing from the selling anc
drinking of Intoxicating liquors a:
now practiced, or to give to then
the moral support of public opnlor
or tue protection of the state gov
ernmcnt.
In every community we find men
once honored and respected, reduc
ed 10 poverty, wretchedness ane
dlshonor by spending their money
and time in drinking saloons: wivc'
weighed down with grief and sorrow
and want, aud heart-broken and help
less children growing up in ignor
ancc, beggary and vice, because hus
bands and fathers have been made
drunkards and vagabonds by patron
izing the drinking saloons. Million:
of dollars are invested In this busi
ness of making men drunkards ant
IN producing the desolation and ruiz
of women and children, winch, il
employed in agriculture, manufac
turing or commercial pursuits, anC
directed by the talents and tim'
wasted in these drinking houses
would add untold millions 10 the ag
gregated wealth of tue state, anC
make as many thousands of happy
families as are now made miserable
because this money and time are
given to the selling and drinking OF
Intoxicating liquors.
The formers of our state constitu
tion, having reference to these evils
provided that ''the legislature shall
| at It's Rrst session eI.aet q law where
by the qualified voters of any county
Justices precinct, town or city, by
a majority vote, from tiTe to time,
may determine whether the sale o.
Intoxicating liquors shall be prohI5
tied within the prescribed limits. :.
1t would be no great innovation upor
this principle for the people Of th'
state TO adopt u constitutional pro
VISION declaring that "the manufac
ture, sale and exchange of iutOxicat
ing liquors, except for medical, me
cbanical and scientific purposes, il
hereby prohibited in the State o
Texas The state Democratic con
vention, which met at Galveston las
summer, inserted in itR platform o
principles declaration, in substance
that citizen might be \ Local OPP
ZIONIST or a Prohibitianist ard ut tn,
same time be a Democrat.
The present legislature wisely de
termlncd, IN submitting the question
OF the adoption of the prohibition
amendment by vote of the people
that the election should be held at
time when no other election was T.
be held, in order that the peopl
might pass upon that question unem
harrassed by any o:her politics
questions or elections, 50 that the
should be non partisan. In view !,
these facts, with all respect for tn
meeting at Austin aud It's commit
tees, I must express my regret tha
; any effort has been made to make
party question of il; and especiall
a. -oS,rof ,bot Donocrats shnuI,